Pebble Time, a company known for their smart watches, has released a new wearable device on Kickstarter, the Pebble Core. The new product is a different direction for the company as it is instead it is a small wearable that boasts a variety of features designed for runners. The Core has GPS tracking, can sync with running apps, and has 3G and Bluetooth connectivity, among other useful features.
Like the watches, The Core is built on Android and it will use the same PebbleKit JS component. This allows for customization in the Pebble app.Unlike the watches sold by Pebble, The Core has no screen, but it does have a battery life of nine hours, while the device’s features are in use.
Other features allow for voice memos, programmable buttons, a headphone jack and one tap access to the Pebble app so the user can create a custom app to be able to do something like order an Uber or program one tap on The Core to open your internet-connected garage door. As wearables like the Fitbit and Apple Watch gain popularity the wearable market is harder and harder to enter, but Eric Migicovsky, Pebble’s CEO, believes their wearable’s capabilities set them apart, “Pebble has a rich history of giving people simple devices that do a few things really well and make life easier.”
The most successful Kickstarter campaign in history was run by Pebble Time, and for now that is the only place The Core can be bought. The Pebble Core won’t be shipping until January 2017 and will only cost 69 dollars. The Core was announced with two other devices on their Kickstarter site, the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2, both watches.